Cardinal Health said Thursday it plans to close two operations in Zanesville by this spring, affecting 105 workers.

Dublin-based Cardinal, one of the largest drug distribution companies in the United States, operates a packaging center at 3540 East Pike in that Muskingum County city, and a smaller distribution center in the Airport Industrial Park adjacent to Zanesville Municipal Airport.

A Cardinal spokeswoman said employees will remain on site until at least April and will have the opportunity to move to Cardinal's location in the Nashville area or to apply for open positions in Obetz, Groveport or Wheeling, West Virginia.

Relocation assistance will be given to those who choose to move to the Tennessee facility, while any employees working through April will be offered a severance package.

"We continually work to optimize efficiencies of our operations and ... as a result, have made the difficult decision to close our Zanesville location," the company said in a statement.

Cardinal is Ohio's largest company by revenue, and one of three major distributors that, combined, control more than 80 percent of U.S. pharmaceutical distribution.

Under fire for the alleged role of distributors in the surge in opioid addiction, Cardinal recently announced an expansion of its efforts to combat opioid abuse, with a focus on Appalachia.

mrose@dispatch.com

@MarlaMRose

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.